Friday 5 May 2017

Lanark County Construction 2017

Horrid headline from B.C., I wonder the stats in Ontario, or across Canada?

Safer driving calls renewed after Langford flagger struck

'Staggering' total of 244 B.C. roadside workers hit by vehicles over 10 years

June 2 What a job!

The new, wider shoulders, are wonderful. Construction is everywhere!
Nailed him!


May 30th – about 3/4 done.



May 25th– still at it!



May 24 – 6:30 a.m. and they're off

May 23

May 20 – Rideau Ferry Parking Lot, long weekend

May 18


May 18 afternoon:Asphalt has begun to be laid, this is the base

We had errands in Smiths Falls, Rideau Ferry and Perth: dry cleaners, dropping off old clothes to a charity, I need spray paint, new mineral chalk paint for Frosty, batteries to recycle. It was tricky going! We tried to go around, but it adds so much time.


May 18th – 6:30 a.m. repaving begins!

May 17th – gravel watered down, paving trucks were parked, ready for the next day. 


May 16th gravel laid, 

May 15

construction from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

May 9th

The roads have been scraped of asphalt. Next step: laying it again! Those poor flaggers!

May 8th

More culvert replacement!
contruction may 8 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

May 4th: replacing culverts

These are fun, replacing culverts. They are large, and dug deep. They work on one half at a time. A couple of culverts collapsed in Ottawa a couple of years ago. Several ate some cars. We know the importance of non-rusty, newer culverts!
 This is a three-way stop, with three flaggers, since the road runs west off of the highway. 


April 25


First, break off the rock, move it away in dump trucks. It's a long day for the flaggers. These are good jobs, undertaken by good workers. Cavanagh, I am told, is a great employer.
Widening the rock cut: April 25


You can hear the noise from the backhoe when they move it .(Listen on the video!) That vehicle they've been using to move the rocks out of the rock cuts. They are first widening the base. The county is adding an amazing 2' shoulder, which makes a big difference to

vehicle navigating around vulnerable road users, like cyclists and walkers.
Construction May 2nd from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Marking the project; laying pylons in April

Our county sent out a press release, providing information on construction season. (See below)
This is true across our province. There are many who disrespect workers on the road. I've heard of many incidents. These folks work as hard and as fast as they can to repair our infrastructure.




I'm sure all of you are experiencing construction! It's what we need to expect. This is the 'before' photo! The freeze and thaws of last season wreaked havoc on our roads. I'm watching how they work, since I travel twice a week this way, at least!

I can't tell you how disturbing it's been. Not the construction, but the driver's responses to it. Adding to the noise, on Thursdays, are the guns from the recertifying of the OPP in the back of the forest.  We have 500 OPP having to pass the test at the range.

Yes, construction slows drivers down, and they cannot drive as fast as they normally do, but the noise as they break free from the flagger's control and the single lane limits, is horrible here. Some drivers gun the engines, and boot it into town. There are long lines, as the workers try to get the work done quickly. They work 12-hour days. Last night, May 4th, as the big storm rolled in, I heard them working frantically to finish up at 7 p.m.

This is what happens during the evening rush hour! Lots of tired, grumpy, impatient people. We make sure we smile, and wave in thanks to the flaggers.

Press release and information

The 2017 Lanark County public works construction program has 47 km of roads scheduled to be rehabilitated or treated as part of the ongoing pavement preservation program. The total construction budget for this year is almost $6.9 million. Federal gas tax and Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund funding combined covers $1.95 million of these costs.
Lanark County Public Works oversees construction, operation, repair and maintenance on more than 560 km of roads and 82 bridge and culvert structures.  I made up a table!

8 comments:

Cloudia said...

Be safe my dear dear Jenn <3

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Maintenance... a self-fulfilling purpose! YAM xx

Nancy J said...

We always wave and smile to the flag bearers, I often think that they are so brave and strong to stand there, hour after hour, whatever weather, and now, they have walky talky phones so they know when to flip their pole round, and either have STOP or Go facing the right way. Looks like this will be a long process, and very detailed. Keep away from all that machinery if you can.

William Kendall said...

It's all work that needs to be done.

Linda said...

If the rain ever stops it will be construction season here!

Christine said...

construction's a fact of our lives!

Red said...

It looks like your road is getting some much needed repair.

Kay said...

I remember so much of this when we were in Illinois. Please be careful.